Time Since Death and Decomposition of the Human Body: Variables and Observations in Case and Experimental Field Studies

Mann, Robert W.; Bass, William M.; Meadows, Lee

doi:10.1520/jfs12806j

Cited by 537 publications

(458 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…2 and discussed above, factors other than ADD play a role in the rate of decomposition. Differences in humidity, seasonal insect activity, possible bacterial infections prior to death and scavenger activity, for example, all have an influence and need to be further investigated [3,4,13,29,30].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Estimating the postmortem interval (PMI) using accumulated degree-days (ADD) in a temperate region of South Africa

Myburgh

L'Abbé

Steyn

et al. 2013

Forensic Science International

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The validity of the method in which Total Body Score (TBS) and Accumulated Degree-Days (ADD) are used to estimate the postmortem interval (PMI) is examined. TBS and ADD were recorded for 232 days in northern South Africa, which has temperatures between 17 and 28 ºC in summer and 6 and 20 ºC in winter. Winter temperatures rarely go below 0 ºC. Thirty pig carcasses, which weighed between 38 and 91 kg, were used. TBS was scored using the modified method of Megyesi et al. [1]. Temperature was acquired from an on site data logger and the weather station bureau; differences between these two sources were not statistically significant.Using Loglinear Random-effects Maximum Likelihood Regression, an r 2 value for ADD (0.6227) was produced and linear regression formulae to estimate PMI from ADD with a 95% prediction interval were developed. The data of 16 additional pigs that were placed a year later were then used to validate the accuracy of this method. The actual PMI and ADD were compared to the estimated PMI and ADD produced by the developed formulae as well as the estimated PMIs within the 95% prediction interval. A validation of the study produced poor results as only one pig of 16 fell within the 95% interval when using the formulae, showing that ADD has limited use in the prediction of PMI in a South African setting.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Estimating the postmortem interval (PMI) using accumulated degree-days (ADD) in a temperate region of South Africa

Myburgh

L'Abbé

Steyn

et al. 2013

Forensic Science International

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“…For cadaver decomposition under anaerobic conditions the optimum temperature range is 21°C to 38°C with very limited activity at temperatures below 4°C [2,3,32].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Shifts in soil biodiversity—A forensic comparison between Sus scrofa domesticus and vegetation decomposition

2015

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“…as temperature is considered the most important variable [10] and insects the most significant environmental decomposer [3]. The presence and developmental rates of insects will have a significant effect on the decomposition process.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…They concluded that obese bodies lose body mass more rapidly due to liquefaction of body fats, than compared to skinny individuals [10]. They also found that bodies weighing more than 110 kg decompose much more rapidly than bodies weighing approximately 65 kg.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The effect of body size on the rate of decomposition in a temperate region of South Africa

Sutherland

Myburgh

Steyn

et al. 2013

Forensic Science International

111

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Forensic anthropologists rely on the state of decomposition of a body to estimate the PostMortem-Interval (PMI) which provides information about the natural events and environmental forces that could have affected the remains after death. Various factors are known to influence the rate of decomposition, among them temperature, rainfall and exposure of the body. However, conflicting reports appear in the literature on the effect of body size on the rate of decay. The aim of this project was to compare decomposition rates of large pigs (Sus scrofa; 60 -90 kg), with that of small pigs (< 35 kg), to assess the influence of body size on decomposition rates. For the decomposition rates of small pigs, 15 piglets were assessed three times per week over a period of three months during spring and early summer. Data collection was conducted until complete skeletonization occurred. Stages of decomposition were scored according to separate categories for each anatomical region, and the point values for each region were added to determine the total body score (TBS), which represents the overall stage of decomposition for each pig. For the large pigs, data of 15 pigs were used. Scatter plots illustrating the relationships between TBS and PMI as well as TBS and Accumulated degree days (ADD) were used to assess the pattern of decomposition and to compare decomposition rates between small and large pigs. Results indicated that rapid decomposition occurs during the early stages of decomposition for both samples. Large pigs showed a plateau phase in the course of advanced stages of decomposition, during which decomposition was minimal. A similar, but much shorter plateau was reached by small pigs of >20 kg at a PMI of 20-25 days, after which decomposition commenced swiftly.This was in contrast to the small pigs of <20kg, which showed no plateau phase and their decomposition rates were swift throughout the duration of the study. Overall, small pigs decomposed 2.82 times faster than large pigs, indicating that body size does have an effect on the rate of decomposition.

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Time Since Death and Decomposition of the Human Body: Variables and Observations in Case and Experimental Field Studies

Cited by 537 publications

References 8 publications

Estimating the postmortem interval (PMI) using accumulated degree-days (ADD) in a temperate region of South Africa

Estimating the postmortem interval (PMI) using accumulated degree-days (ADD) in a temperate region of South Africa

Shifts in soil biodiversity—A forensic comparison between Sus scrofa domesticus and vegetation decomposition

The effect of body size on the rate of decomposition in a temperate region of South Africa

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